Metal top for ironing boards



March 8, 1949. E. c. BOOTH METAL TOP FOR IRONING BOARDS 4 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Oct. l, 1945 INVENTOR. S9/QL C5007@ E. C. BOOTH METAL TOP FORIRONING BOARDS `March 8, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. l, 1945 INVENTOR. f/wz 6.7500779,

March 8, 1949. E. c. BOOTH 2,464,170

METAL TOP FOR IRONING BOARDS Filed Oct. l, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. ffl/2L C. @Oor/f,

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March 8, 1949. c. BOOTH 2,464,170

' METAL TOP FOR IRONING BOARDS Filed Oct. l, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR. THQ/ C @Oor/Lf,

Patented Mar. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE METAL TOP FR IRQNINGBOARDS Earl C. Booth, Columbus, Ind., assigner to Noilitt- Sparksindustries, Inc., Columbus, Ind., a corporation of Indiana 7 Claims.

It is an object of my invention to produce an ironing-board, and moreparticularly an ironingboard top, which will be sturdy and durable. Moreespecially, it is my object to produce an vironing-board top which willlend itself to lconstruction of sheet-metal and which can be simply andeconomically manufactured.

In carrying out my invention, I form the top of two layers of sheetmetal, the bottom layer of which fonns a reinforcement and support forthe upper layer, or cover. The bottom, or reinforcing, layer is formedwith a series 'of transversely extending stiiening ribs the -metalbetween which may be removed to lighten the construction and tofacilitate the drawing ccf the metal incident to formation o f the ribs.The ironing-board top has a Iperipheral reinforcement, which may be aseparate element formed of metal tubing; and the enti-re top isstiiiened by a truss brace which extends longitudinally of the ytop andfhas its ends secure-d to the peripheral reinforcement. The cover, orupper layer, of the ironing-board top overlies the reinforcement and hasits edges turned downwardly and secured to the remainder of the top inany appropriate manner.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of an ironingboard top; Fig. 2 is a plan View -od the top;Fig. 3 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale on the line 3 3 `ofFig. 2; Figs. l and 5 are fragimental longitudinal sections on the lines4 4 and 5 5 respectively of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmental plan View onan enlarged scale with the sheet-metal cover broken away; Fig. 7 is afragmental section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 5; Fig- 8 is a plan view of amodified form of construction; Fig. 9 is a fragmental longitudinalsection on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a transverse verticalsection on the line lil-I of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig.10 illustrating a further modication; Fig. 12 is a section on the line|2 |2 of Fig. 8; Fig. 13 is a fragmental view similar to Fig. 4illustrating a modified means of attaching one end of the truss brace;Fig. 14 is a plan view in partial section of the constructionillustrated in Fig. 13; and Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig.illustrating the attachment of the other end of the truss brace shown inFigs. 13 and 14.

In the modication `of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to '7inclusive, the iromng-board top is surrounded by a peripheralreinforcing member 20 of tubular cross-section bent into the desiredshape. Associated with the border frame 20 there is a reinforcement 2|olf sheet metal formed with longitudinally spaced, transverselyextending depressed portions 22 -of channel section Iwhich constitutereinforcing ribs. As will be clear from Fig. 3, the ribs 22 aredesirably of gradually decreasing depth yfrom the longitudinalcenter-line of the ironing-board top toward its edges and terminateclosely adjacent the inner face of the border frame 2t. Around itsperiphery, the top-forming member 2| is `provided with a down-turnedflange 23 dorme-d in cross-section to provide a seat for the borderframe. To lighten the Iconstructirm and to` facilitate the ormationofthe stiifening ribs 22, the sheet-metal between such` ribs may beremoved to leave openings 24.

Overlying the reiniorrcement 2|, I provide a sheet-metal cover 26 which,in the form shown, is imperforate. Around its periphery, the `cover 26is .provided with a down-turned ange 21 .which closely receives thetubular border frame 20, as will Ibe clear from Figs. 3, 4, and 5.Outwardly beyond its area of contact with the border frame 20, theflange 23 on the` reinforcement 2| is bent downwardly to form a lip 29lying against the inner face of the ange 21, and the lower .edge of suchflange `is folded over fthe edge of the lip 29 `to hold the assemblytogether.

In the form of top illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, thereinforcing ribs 22 are relatively narrow. To equip such a top withmeans for the attachment of supporting legs, I may provide a pair ofcross-members 30 sie-cured at their ends in any conve-nient manner tothe tubular border member 2i). The cross members 311, which desirablyare formed of sheet-metal stampings of channel cross-section, areprovided with ears 3l to which the legs 32 and 33 of any desired type oisupporting structure are attached.`

The top as so far described is reinforced longitudinally by a trussbrace member conveniently `formed of metal tubing. The brace 35 liesagainst the lower surfaces of the ribs 22 and cross members 3B, .whichmay be recessed to receive it, and is secured at its ends to the borderframe 20. As shown in Fig. 4, a sheetmetal retainer 36 is welded totheange 23 and received within the brace 35 to locate it at the narrow endof the top; while at the opposite end of the top the brace is provided,as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, with out-bent ears 31 secured to the borderframe 2i] and flange 23 by screws 38, preferably of the Seli-tappingvariety.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12inclusive, the cross members 3D and the tubular border frame 20, asseparate elements, are eliminated. In this inodication, thereinforcement is formed to provide around its periphery a channel-likegroove 4|, the open upper face of which is bridged at intervals withU-shaped spacers 42 having downturned side edges forming anges which arereceived between the side walls of the vgroove 4l and which are securedthereto, as by spot welding. The cover 43, entends over the groove 4Ithroughout the periphery of the top and has its edge portion bentdownwardly and interlocked with the edge od the reinforcement 40 to forma lock seam, as indicated at in Fig. 9.

The reinforcement 40 shown in Figs. S to 12 is provided withtransversely extending depressed portions 40 which correspond to thestiiening ribs 22 in the arrangement illustrated in Figs, 1 to' 7, butwhich are considerably wider than such reinforcing ribs. For the purposeof securing the top to the legs of a supporting structure, portions ofthe bottoms of certain reinforcing ribs are L struck downwardly to formtongues 41 arranged in pairs and between which the sup-porting legs maybe pivotally mounted.

Instead of mounting the legs through the rnedium of ears 47 struck fromthe material of the f ribs 46, such ribs may be provided with pairs ofslots 43' (Fig. 11) each pair of which is adapted to receive the twoparallel legs 49 of a U-shaeped bracket which is secured to the bottomof the rib 46 as by spot-welding.

The ironing-board top shown in Figs. 8 to 12 is provided with the samelongitudinally extendn ing truss brace 35 as is embodied in themodification shown in Figs. 1 to 7.

In Figs. 13 to 15, I have illustrated a modified means of securing thetruss brace to the top. As will lbe apparent from those gures, one endof the brace is flattened as indicated at 55, and the wall of thetubular border frame 20, as well as the flange 23, is pierced to permitsuch fiattened portion 56 to extend therethrough and :abut against theopposite wall of the top. At its opposite end, the brace 55 is trimmedto abut against the inner face of the flange 23 and to provide an ear 57which is secured to the tubular border member 20 as by a self-tappingscrew 58.

All forms of the invention shown and described are characterized by thetwo-layer, sheet-metal top, the lower layer being formed to providetransverse stiffening ribs, the formation of which is facilitated by theopenings 24, and the upper layer being smooth and plane. In addition,all forms possess a peripheral reinforcement providing the stiffness,strength, and light weight of .a hollow section, whether thatreinforcement be the separate tubular element 20 or the groove 4I closedin large part by the spacers 42 and entirely by the cover 43.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an ironing-board top, a peripheral frame, a. lower sheet-metalmember having a central portion disposed within said frame andsubstantially flush with the top thereof, said central portion beingprovided with a plurality of depressed portions forming stiffening ribsextending laterally of said peripheral frame between the sides there of,said central portion being provided with openings between said ribs, theperipheral portion of said lower sheet-metal member being depressed toform a seat for said frame, and an upper sheetmetal member overlyingsaid lower member and frame, the peripheral portion of said upper memberbeing bent downwardly outside said frame, and the edges of said upperand lower members being secured together.

2. In an ironing-board top, a peripheral frame, a lower sheet-metalmember having a central portion disposedwithin said frame andsubstantially flush with the top thereof, said central portion beingprovided with a plurality of depressed portions forming stiffening ribsextending laterally of said peripheral framebetween the sides thereof,the peripheral portion of said lower sheet-metal member being depressedto form a seat for said frame, and an upper sheet-metal member overlyingsaid lower member and frame, the peripheral portion of said upper memberbeing bent downwardly outside said frame, and the edges of said upperand lower members being secured together.

3. In an ironing-board top, a peripheral frame, a lower sheet-metalmember having a central portion disposed within said frame andsubstantially flush with the top thereof, said central portion beingprovided with a plurality of depressed portions formlng stiiiening ribsextending laterally of said peripheral frame between the sides thereof,the peripheral portion of said lower sheet-metal member being depressedto form a seat for said frame, and an upper sheet-metal member overlyingsaid lower member and frame, the peripheral portion of said upper memberbeing bent downwardly outside said frame,

4. In an ironing-board top, a lower sheet-metal member formed at itsperiphery to provide an upwardly presented groove, the central portionof said lower member being depressed. at longitudinally spaced intervalsto form laterally extending stiifening ribs, an upper sheet-metal memberoverlying said lower member, a reinforcing member disposed between saidupper member and the groove-forming peripheral portion of said lowermember, the edge portion of said upper member being bent downwardlyoutside said reinforcing members and secured to the edge of said lowermember.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 with the addition that theperipheral groove in said lower member has opposed side wallssaidreinforcing member being a sheet-metal element having a centrai portionsubstantialiy flush with the central portion of the lower member anddown-turned side portions engaging and secured to the opposed walls ofsaid groove.

6. The invention set forth in claim 3 with the addition of alongitudinal trussbrace having a central portion engaging the lowersurfaces of said ribs and up-bent end portions secured to said frame.

7. In combination, an ironing-boardtop as set forth in claim 4 with theaddition of supporting legs pivotally mounted on certain of said ribs.

EARL C. BOOTH..

I REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record 4in the ileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Fay Mar. 30, 1943 Certificate of Correction PatentNo. 2,464,170. March 8, 1949.

EARL C. BOOTH It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee inthe above numbered patent was erroneously Written and printed as Nolitt-Sparks Industries, Inc. Whereas said name should have been Writtenand printed as Noblz'tt-Sparlcs Industries, Inc., as shown by the recordof assignments in this oflce;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of September, A. D. 1949.

JOE E. DANIELS,

Assistant Uommzssoozer of Patents.

